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Vaping’s biggest danger is the way it can ‘change the chemistry’ of young brains, doctor says�
Is vaping dangerous? Unequivocally yes, according to Dr Mike Varshavski, a family medicine doctor and healthcare influencer. Its only use should be as a tool to quit smoking, but its accessibility and attractiveness are helping it change the chemistry of young peoples brains.
If the cold turkey approach isnt working or hasnt worked, for you, it may be reassuring to know that tailored, interactive text message programs to help young people quit vaping have been trialed in research settings, with success. However, this doesnt mean a rollout is imminent. Prevention is the best cure. If youre tempted to start inhaling e-cigarette vapor, see if Dr Varshavskis warning changes your stance.
Vaping attracts people who would have been turned off by smoking
Dr Mikhail Mike Varshavski appeared on Steven Bartletts Diary Of A CEO podcast in June to discuss the dangers of vaping.
During their conversation, he emphasizes how vaping attracts people who would otherwise not be attracted to smoking.
In many ways, smoking has become socially unacceptable its smelly, it stains your fingers and teeth, and the dangers of second-hand smoking, especially for young children, are well known.
Vaping undercuts many of these issues. It sidesteps them. For this reason, and for several other reasons, it has the ability to attract people whom smoking gives the ick. The social acceptability of vaping is one of the reasons heart specialists discourage it. Its easier to justify vaping indoors than smoking indoors, so it can be tempting to vape throughout the day and in environments where one wouldnt usually smoke.
The chemicals found inside are really rewarding to the brain, Dr Varshavski explains. Nicotine being a prime example.
But the most dangerous part is its effect on the brain chemistry of young people
The most dangerous part of vaping is that young people whose frontal lobes havent yet fully developed are drawn to it. Among the reasons for this are the aesthetics of vaping, the marketing strategies the industry uses, and the breadth of flavors available.
The frontal lobe is responsible for complex decision making, Dr Varshavski, says, making children and teenagers incredibly susceptible to anything that can build a tolerance, a dependence, an addiction.
He adds that it can change the chemistry of their brain, moving forward.
We dont want to make it easier for them to start smoking. Vaping should be used as a tool, as a way of getting you off of cigarettes, not as a way of introducing you to cigarettes, or nicotine at all.
Its worth stressing that even as a tool with which to quit smoking, vaping presents serious challenges: studies suggest that vaping is two times harder to quit than smoking cigarettes.
Its not something that carries value, health-wise, he goes on. And can only potentially harm.
Dr Mikhail Mike Varshavski is a board-certified family medicine doctor living in New York City. His website is doctormikemedia.com.
